Means for player piano key actuating assembly

ABSTRACT

AN ASSEMBLY FOR ACTUATING PIANO PLAYING MEANS WHICH INCLUDES MEANS FOR MOUNTING SOLENOID KEY ACTUATING UNITS ON A METALLIC SUPPORT MEANS. THE SUPPORT MEANS INCLUDES A PAIR OF SPACED APART ELONGATED ANGLE MEMBERS. EACH OF THE ANGLE MEMBERS HAVE UPPER AND LOWER ROWS OF HORIZONTAL SLOTS FORMED THEREIN WHICH ARE STAGGERED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER TO PERMIT THE SELECTIVE MOUNTING OF THE SOLENOID UNITS THEREON. EACH OF THE SOLENOID UNITS HAVE A FRAME MEANS THEREON WHICH MAY BE SECURED TO THE ANGLE MEMBERS BY MEANS OF SCREWS OR THE LIKE EXTENDING THROUGH THE SLOTS IN THE ANGLE MEMBERS AND BEING THREADABLY RECEIVED BY THE FRAME MEANS.

United States Patent lnventors Richard L. Cannon;

Leonard R. D. Smith, Yankton, both of, S.

Dak. Appl. No. 49,349 Filed June 24, 1970 Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 833,066, June 13, 1969. Patented May 25, 1971 Assignee Dale Electronics, Inc.

Columbus, Nebr.

MOUNTING MEANS FOR PLAYER PIANOKEY ACTUATING ASSEMBLY 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 335/255, 336/67, 84/107 Int. Cl H0lt 7/08 Field of Search 335/255,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,050,703 8/1962 Duescher 336/67 3,426,304 2/1969 Cannon et al 335/255 Primary Examiner-G. Harris AttorneyZarley, McKee and Thomte ABSTRACT: An assembly for actuating piano playing means which includes means for mounting solenoid key actuating units on a metallic support means. The support means in-- cludes a pair of spaced apart elongated angle members. Each of the angle members have upper and lower rows of horizontal slots formed therein which are staggered with respect to each other to permit the selective mounting of the solenoid units thereon. Each of the solenoid units have a frame means thereon which may be secured to the angle members by means of screws or the like extending through the slots in the angle members and being threadably received by the frame means.

MOUNTING MEANS FOR PLAYER PIANOKEY ACTUATING ASSEMBLY This is a continuation-in-part application of the application Ser. No. 833,066, having a filing date ofJune I3, 1969.

This invention relates to an assembly for actuating piano playing means and is an improvement over the assembly disclosed in US. Letters Pat. No. 3,426,304 which issued on Feb. 4, I969, wherein one of the applicants herein is listed as a coinventor. This invention is also an improvement over the assembly disclosed in the copending application.

Solenoid assemblies are frequently used to actuate the piano actions of player pianos. Previous solenoid assemblies and the mounting means therefore severely limited their use in various types of piano actions. US. Pat. No. 3,426,304 discloses an actuating assembly for a player piano and has been generally satisfactory. However, some difficulty has been experienced in servicing the solenoids and in removing the solenoids from their supports. Further, the instant invention is an improvement over the assembly disclosed in the copending application due to the greater heat dissipation characteristics of the support means disclosed herein and due to the fact that the instant assembly is more easily manufactured and permits a more convenient means for adjusting the individual solenoids for any piano scale.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to provide an assembly for actuating player piano means.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for mounting solenoid units on a metallic support means.

A further object of this invention is to provide a means for adjustably mounting solenoid units on a support means.

A further object of this invention is to provide a means for mounting solenoid units on an angular member so as to permit the convenient adjustment and servicing of the individual solenoid units.

A further object of this invention is to provide an assembly for actuating player piano means including a solenoid unit mounted on a support means which permits the solenoid to be laterally adjusted to a particular piano action regardless of whether it is installed above or below the keyboard, attached to the piano bridle wire, installed under the wipen portion of the piano action or under the piano key itself.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an assembly for actuating piano playing means including solenoid units mounted on a pair of spaced-apart angular members wherein the angular members serve as a heat sink.

A further object of this invention is to provide an assembly for actuating piano playing means which permits the solenoids to be installed in the piano in gang" fashion.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an assembly for actuating piano playing means which is economical to manufacture and durable in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating solenoid units mounted on the support members.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view illustrating a modified form of the solenoids mounted on the support members and being connected to the bridle wire of the piano action.

FIG. 3 is a partial front view of the support assembly.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view as seen along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a top elevational view of an individual solenoid unit.

FIG. 6 is a perspective of the solenoid frame means. The solenoid units of FIG. 1 are generally referred to by the reference numeral 10 while the solenoid units in FIG. 2 are generally designated by the reference numeral 12. The numeral I4 refers to a solenoid support means comprising an upper assembly 16 and a lower assembly I8 which are secured together in a spaced-apart relationship by means of angle mounting brackets 20. Upper assembly 16 includes an elongated angle member 22 having a base portion 24 with a flange 26 extending therefrom. Angle member 22 is provided with an upper row of spaced-apart slots 28 and a lower row of spacedapart slots 30, the slots 28 and 30 being staggered with respect to each other as illustrated in FIG. 3.

Lower assembly 18 includes an elongated angle member 32 having a base portion 34 and a flange 36 extending therefrom. Angle member 32 is provided with an upper row of spacedapart slots 38 and a lower row of spaced-apart slots 40, the slots 38 and 40 being staggered with respect to each other as clearly illustrated in FIG. 3. As seen in FIG. 3, the slots 38 are positioned below the slots 28 with the slots 40 being positioned below the slots 30. Screws 42 extend through certain of the slots in the angle members and are threadably received by the angle mounting brackets 20 to maintain the angle members in their spaced-apart relationship. The angle mounting brackets 20 are provided with openings 22 formed therein which are provided to facilitate the mounting of the support means in or on the piano.

A steel frame means 46 is secured to each of the solenoids I0 at the upper and lower ends thereof as illustrated in the drawings and is provided with threaded openings 48 and 50.

formed therein. The solenoid units I0 include a push rod 52 extending upwardly therefrom having a striker pad 54 at the upper end thereof. The solenoid units 10 are secured to the angle member 22 by selectively positioning the solenoid units adjacent the angle member 22 as illustrated in FIG. 4 so that one of the openings 48 or 50 registers with one of the slots 28 or 30. A screw 56 extends through either of the slots 28 or 30 and is threadably received by the openings 48 and 50 to maintain the frame means 46 in contact with the angle member 22. The relationship of the frame means 46 and the angle member 22 is clearly shown in FIG. 4 and it can be seen that a single screw 56 adequately maintains the solenoid unit in position without the solenoid unit being permitted to move since the frame means 46 engages the flange 26. The slots 28 and 30 permit the solenoid unit 10 to be laterally positioned with respect to the angle member 22 so that the solenoid unit can be properly positioned with respect to the piano action or the like that it is going to actuate. The solenoids 10 on angle member 32 are identical to the solenoids mounted on angle member 22, the only difference being in the length of the push rods as clearly illustrated in FIG. 3.

The angle members 22 and 32 are preferably constructed of aluminum to provide greater cooling or heat dissipation characteristics than permitted with the previous design. Thus, the solenoid units in FIG. I are vertically spaced with respect to each other and are also horizontally staggered so that the adjacent wipen actions 58 of the piano may be actuated by the push rods extending from the solenoid units. The solenoid units 12 of FIG. 2 and the support means illustrated therein is identical to that seen in FIG. I except that the solenoid units in FIG. 2 are operatively connected to the bridle wires 60 of the piano action. The solenoid unit I2 is adaptable for use with bridle wires by simply providing a suitable connector 62 on the lower end of the solenoid plunger. The connector 62 is operatively connected to the bridle wire 60 by a suitable wire 64. Inasmuch as the angle members 22 and 32 are constructed of aluminum, it is necessary that the frame means 46 be constructed of a steel material in order to complete the magnetic path for the solenoid.

The solenoid units and the support means upon which they are mounted permit the entire assembly to be installed in the piano gang" fashion. Once the gang assembly has been mounted in the piano, the individual solenoids may be slidably moved with respect to their respective angle members so that.

the plungers thereof will be properly aligned with the piano action. The engagement of the frame means 46 with the angle members provides a very efficient heat sink so as to permit the heat to dissipate from the solenoids. The construction of the angle members 22 and 32 permits the solenoids to be easily serviced or removed therefrom and to permit the individual adjustment thereof.

The assembly of this invention provides an adjustable holding fixture which aids in reducing the cost of manufacture. The assembly is easily adapted for use of various types of piano actions by simply lengthening or shortening the push rods thereof or by securing suitable connectors to the plunger rods. Thus it can be seen that the device of this invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

We claim:

1. An assembly for actuating piano playing means, comprismg:

a plurality of solenoid units, each of said solenoid units including a body portion having opposite ends and an actuator means movably extending from at least one end of said body portion,

each of said solenoid units having a metallic frame means secured to opposite ends thereof and extending therebetween,

and a first elongated support member having at least a first row of a plurality of longitudinally spaced slots formed therein,

each of said solenoid units being longitudinally adjustably secured to said support member by a screw means ex tending through one of said slots and being secured to said frame means.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein a second row oflongitudinally spaced slots are formed in said support member in a spaced and staggered relationship to said first row, said solenoid units being secured to said support member by said screw means extending through one of the slots in one of the said rows.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said frame means has first and second spaced-apart threaded openings which register with the slots in said first and second rows so that said screw means can be selectively received by one of said threaded openings.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein a second elongated support member is secured to said first support member in a spaced-apart relationship, said second support member having third and fourth rows of slots formed therein, said second support member having a plurality of solenoid units secured thereto in a staggered relationship with respect to the solenoid units on said first support member.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said frame means includes a base portion having flange portions extending from the opposite ends thereof, said flange portions being secured to said solenoid unit, said base portion being secured to said first support member.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said first support member includes a flat base portion having a flange member extending therefrom, said slots being formed in said flat base portion, one of said flange portions of said frame means engaging said flange member'of said support member.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein said frame means is comprised of a magnetically conductive metal material, said first support member being comprised of an aluminum material having high heat dissipation qualities. 

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein a second row of longitudinally spaced slots are formed in said support member in a spaced and staggered relationship to said first row, said solenoid units being secured to said support member by said screw means extending through one of the slots in one of the said rows.
 3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said frame means has first and second spaced-apart threaded openings which register with the slots in said first and second rows so that said screw means can be selectively received by one of said threaded openings.
 4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein a second elongated support member is secured to said first support member in a spaced-apart relationship, said second support member having third and fourth rows of slots formed therein, said second support member having a plurality of solenoid units secured thereto in a staggered relationship with respect to the solenoid units on said first support member.
 5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said frame means includes a base portion having flange portions extending from the opposite ends thereof, said flange portions being secured to said solenoid unit, said base portion being secured to said first support member.
 6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said first support member includes a flat base portion having a flange member extending therefrom, said slots being formed in said flat base portion, one of said flange portions of said frame means engaging said flange member of said support member.
 7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein said frame means is comprised of a magnetically conductive metal material, said first support member being comprised of an aluminum material having high heat dissipation qualities. 